June 14th, 2005 | 
Author: The Gravina Access Project: A Bridge to Nowhere
Rep. Don Young (R-AK) is trying to sell America’s taxpayers a $315 million “bridge to nowhere” in rural Alaska. As Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he is in a very good position to get his way. But Rep. Young should be stopped from using his political clout to force federal taxpayers to pay for a bridge that is ridiculous in its scope, unjustified on its merits, and far too expensive for taxpayers to swallow at a time of record federal deficits.
If Rep. Young succeeds, tiny Ketchikan, Alaska, a town with less than 8,000 residents (about 13,000 if the entire county is included) will receive hundreds of millions of federal dollars to build a bridge to Gravina Island (population: 50). This bridge will be nearly as long as the Golden Gate Bridge and taller than the Brooklyn Bridge.
If memory serves me correctly, Alaska recieves a higher percentage of pork spending per taxpayer than any other state in the union.
John Stossel uses the Ketchikan bridge as a prime example of government pork in his series Myths, Lies and Nasty Behavior.
Whether Democrats or Republicans control Congress, one thing never changes. Politicians love to spend your money.
Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, is a good example. Years ago Congress gave money to the little tourist town of Ketchikan, with only 14,000 residents, for an airport on a nearby island. Ketchikan International has six to eight flights a day, and people get there by taking a short ferry ride — which they love. The scenic ride takes 500 air travelers a day to or from the airport in just seven minutes
Young wouldn’t talk to me about this. Maybe he’s too busy bringing home even more money for Alaskans. His state is one of the least populated in America, but he has helped get it more pork dollars than 49 other states, including pork like the Ketchikan bridge that even some of the locals don’t want.
definitely for something else… oh say…. ummmm…OIL!!!
Hmmm… Interesting, but I don’t think so. Relatively speaking, Ketchikan is closer to Washington state (its right next to British Columbia) than the major alaskan oil reserves. It looks as if the major business there is Tourism (zoom in on the map of the City of Ketchikan page below to see an picture of three very large cruise ships docked at the city)
Google Map of Ketchikan, Alaska
City of Ketchican
I’ve been to Ketchikan twice, and I actually think the bridge is a very good idea. Having to wait on the ferry is aggravating. A bridge would speed things up considerably and create more opportunity for economic development because the town would be much more easily accessed. I think it’s a smart purchase.
three11pac:
You’re kidding right? You think $315 MILLION tax dollars for a bridge almost as long as the Golden Gate in a county of 13,000 people in Alaska is a GOOD thing? All because you think the ferry ride is long and ‘aggravating’. If thats you’re biggest concern, then I suggest Ketchikan buy faster ferries (which I’m guessing would cost a hell of a lot less than $135 million dollars.
I lived in Ketchikan for several years (right above the tunnel downtown). Ketchikan was founded as a fishing village and snakes along the side of a cliff between the ocean and a mountain; buildable land is incredibly difficult to find. However, on the other side of the Tongass Narrows, there are several hundred square miles of fairly flat land on Gravina Island. A bridge to “nowhere” would mean an economic bonanza for the residents of Ketchikan as they develop that land. (The airport is over there, too.) Having said all that… and having lived there… I can’t imagine why a bridge connecting Ketchikan across Pennock Island to Gravina Island needs to be the size of the bloody Golden Gate Bridge. Roads are one of the things that the government does well… unfortunately, so are white elephants. I guess this project combines both.
I had a brief thought on this “bridge to nowhere” bit. We hear all these differing ideas on why Rep Don Young is having this bridge built. Economic development, 7 minute ferry ride from hell (comeon it’s gonna take seven minutes to get across the bridge with all the commuters from Gravina Island), I’m sure there are more. Here is my take on this whole twisted matter.
This bridge is an investment in the future of Alaska and the paople of the US. With global warn=ming kicking up and no sign of a republican led change in climate policy, Rep. Brown is just opening up an as yet untapped real estate market on Gravina Island.
“THINGS GETTING TOO HOT IN THE LA BASIN FOR YOU FOLKS? 130 IN THE SHADE GOT YOU DOWN? COME TO AMERICAS COASTAL PLAYGROUND SCENIC AND STILL COOL KETCHIKAN ALASKA….”
He’s got my vote, and while we’re at it, isn’t there an insurgency in the Inuit population we need to put down and occupy?
Just an update, the Bridge to Nowhere project is included in the recently passed Pork.. uh, I mean HIGHWAY Bill. Taxpayer wallets be damned! On with the Pork full steam ahead!
I live in Ketchikan currently and I think that this Bridge is a waste of time as it will not do anything for our city, we have to think how this would affect our city as with cruise ships getting larger, could they fit under our bridge in the future, or would they have to pass us up? Logging, Fishing is dead, our city survives off Tourism. Please email Congress and tell them that they should give this money to help New Orleans rebuild and other’s who have been affected by Katrina. Here is a fact, if Don Young is so concerned about having more land to build on, why not open up Ketchikan, as for the last 50 years you can drive both sides of town and run into Dead Ends, we are only using if even, half of Ketchikan. STOP the Pork Project! I have emailed the Alaskan Governor to ask a few questions, in return I received a letter stating that the we the people of Ketchikan Voted on this bridge, funny I don’t remember a vote!
I don’t the status of this issue..I don’t know the argument of the representative who is pushing this project..but it seems that some public servants allocate their budget to not so useful infrastructures..they should set what projects to prioritize..establishments that the public really need..it’s part of their responsibility..they are put in the position to do what they ought to do..